Amalgamator.



J. HUTCHINGS.

AMALGAMATOH.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.22. Ion,

L. Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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I. IIUTCHINGS.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22. 1911.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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BY A TT/)HNF YR ms wams frans co I New Uma I msmmmw4 o r JAMESH'UTCHINGS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AMALGAMATOR.

Speeeation of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application led August 22, 1917. Serial No. 187,605.

proved Amalgamator, of which the follow ing is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

' The object ot the invention is to provide a simple and etlicientamalgamator in which c the auriterous bearing material is forced througha layer of mercury with a decreasing speed.

The invention is characterized by a mercury chamber of varying depthsand of a cross section increasing toward the outlet, so as to reduce thespeed 'of liow, and Ymeans at the chambers inlet for agitating andpropelling the pulp. Y l

The invention is further characterized by a stepped cover for themercury chamber which carries value recovering plates.

Other characteristics of the invention will more fully appear as thedescription proceeds. y y

Tn the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through van amalgamator embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the amalgamator; n

Figs. 3, ,4, 5, 6 and 7 are vertical cross sections through theamalgamator on the lines 3 3, 4 4, 5 5, 6 6, and 7 7 respectively, inFig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic elevation of the amalgamator connected to thesupply column, or stand pipe, and the discharge tank, or hopper.

The amalgamator consists of three sections 9, 10 and 11, which affordconvenience in constructing, assembling and inspecting the amalgamator.The y,inner section 9 is the mercury pan. It forms a series of step edan sections 12, 13, 14 and 15. The

dept so said pan sections decrease from 12 to 15, but the widthsincrease as the depths decrease. The increase in width of the chamber isgreater than the decrease in depth. In

consequence the vertical cross sectionall area 4 of thepan sectionsincreases toward the pan section 15. The pan 9 is carried by the sectlonl0 in an oblique position, the slope being from the pan section 15 tothe pan secton 12, the section l0 serving as a heating Jacket for thepan. It has a central rib 16 forming an additional support for the panand also facilitating a better circulation for the heating mediumthrough the section l0.

The section 11 constitutes the cover for the pan 9. It is stepped tocorrespond with the pan sections 12 to 15. The cover has at one end aflanged collar 17 forming the inlet to the amalgamator and which leadsinto the pan section 12. A similar collar 18 is provided at the otheren'd of the cover which forms the outlet ot the amalgamator, and it isin communication with the pan section 15.

A stand column 19 is provided on the collar 17. This column is ofsufficient height to contain a column of water which balances ythe depthof mercury, and has a cross-sectional area large enough to freely admitthe pulp prepared for treatment and which is ted to the amalgamator. Thecollar 18 is connected to a discharge tank 2O into which the treatedpulp is discharged after it has been forced through the mercury bath inthe pan.

To facilitate the movement of the auriferous bearing material throughthe mercury bath, and also to bring the same into more intimate contactwith the particles of mercury of the bath, I provide an agitator 21 inthe shape of a propeller entering into the lower part or the collar 17,that is to say, at the entrance into the pan section 12. This propelleris actuated from a shaft 22 projecting out of the cover. This propelleragitates the pulp and mercury, thereby causing an intimate mixturetherebetween and, at the same time, forcing that mixture t0 move towardthe collar 18. The mercury bath thins toward the outlet end and it alsoincreases in cross section. In consequence the speed of the iowdecreases toward the discharge end. This decrease in speed of the Vtlowpermits the reassembling and collection bath ot mercury,

The extension of the plates causes the ilow of pulp to pass through alayer ot mercury in order to reach the next succeeding plate, thuscausing1 contact ot the pulp with the mercury on all sides. ln thepassage through the sections the diiierence in specific gravity ot theliquids causes the pulp to pass between the plates and a layer ofmercury, providing contact above, belovv, and more or less on the sides;but at the point Where the pulppasses from one pan section to anotherover the eXtension of the plates 23, the pulp is forced to pass throughthe mercury between plates and the nent succeeding;` plate. @n accountof the difference in specitic gravity tie pulp ivill pass through thislayer ot mercury in small globules, thus forming a more intimate contactWith the mercury, in consequence of which a larger percentage of valuesis recovered.

The discharge tanlr is ot comparatively large size, so as to allow thesettling` of the material entering1 thereinto from the amalgamator andthereby permit the separation and collection ot any mercury which mayhave passed out of the amalgamator. it the louermost point of the pansection i2 an aperture is provided vvhereat a draw-od coclr may beSecured. To prevent eddy torination near the end of the collar l? alat-- eral flange E25 is provided which serves the same purpose as theextension oithe plates 23. it desired. side plates may also be providedin the mercury chamber to serve a purpose similar to the plates ln lieuot the plates the inside of the top il may be coated to serve the samepurpose as the plates l claim:

l. ln an ainalgainator, a casing` having an elongated mercury chamber,said chamber comprising a series or successive pan sections having thebottoms at different levels, the depths or said pan sections decreasingtoward the bottom ot pans at iigher levels but the Width of said pansections increasn ing toward bottoms ,of higher level.

2. ein amalgamattor comprising a casing; having a mercury pan forming aseries o pan `sections the depths ot which decrease toward one end butthe Widths of which increase tovvard the same and, and a cover tor saidpan having an inlet to the pan section et the greatest depth and anoutlet trom the pan section oi the least depth. said cover being`stepped to cooperate with the pan sections and to present an increasingcross section ot the mercury pan as it approaches the outlet.

ln an umalgamator, a casing having a mercury chamber provided With aninlet and an outlet, the bottom of the chamber being stepped so as topresent a series of pan sections the depths ot which decrease toward theoutletbut the lWidths ot which pan sections increase toward the outlet,said chamber having `a stepped stop cooperating with the sepped bottom,yso that the cross-sectional area of the chamber increases toward theoutlet to decrease the iiovv through the chamber toward the outlet, andmercury* coated plates on said stepped top having portions extendingtovvard the outlet" o' the chamber.

et. ln an amalgamator, a casing having an elongate-d mercury kchamberprovided with an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, saidchamber having cross section increasing toward the outlet and a depthincreasing toward the inlet, and mercurycoated plates disposed at thetop oi said chamber. f

5. ln an amalgamator, a casinp; having an elongated mercury chamberprovided with an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, thedepth ot said chamber decreasing toward the outlet but the cross sectionot the chamber increasing toward said outlet, said chamber being adaptedto slope toward the deepest part of same, a propeller in prorimity tothe deepest part of the chamber lo@ adapted to facilitate the feeding1through the chamber toward the outlet, and mercurycoated plates at thetop o' the chamber..

6. ln an amalgamator, a ,casing having a mercury chamber provided Withaninlet and an outlet, said chamber having a stepped top and a varying'depth the maximum oit which is in proximity to the inlet, and a varying7cross section the maximum ot which is in proximity to the outlet, saidchamber sloping*l Ello toward the deepest part of saine, and mercury-coated olates secured to the steps ot the cover so that a portionot each plate projects beyond the step toward the outlet of the chamber.

'i'. ln an amalgamator, a casing having a mercury chamber provided withan inlet and an outlet, the, bottom ot the chamber being stepped topresent a series oit pan sections the depth ot Which decreases towardthe outlet, and the Width of which increases toward the outlet, saidchamber having a .stepped top cooperatingr with the stepped bottom sothat the cross-sectionalv area of the Chamber increases toward theoutlet.

8. ln an amalgamator, a casing having a mercury chamber provided with aninlet and an outlet, the bottom ot the chamber having in. cross sectionthe shape ot a trapesoid, said chamber having a top cooperst/ingq withis@ the bottom and having in cross section the a series of inclined pansections the depths shape of a rectangle, the cross-sectional area ofwhich decrease toward one end but the 10 formed by the top and bottom ofthe cham- Widths of which increase toward the saine ber increasingtoward the outlet to decrease end` and a stepped cover for said panhaving 5 tbe dow through the chamber toward the an inlet to the pansection of the greatest outlet. depth and an outlet from the pan sectionof 9. An ainalgainator comprising a casing the least depth. having anelongated mercury pan forming JAMES HUTCHNGS.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Entent, Washington, D. C.

